Roller-skate



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. E. PLAGGV.

ROLLER SKATE.

No. 298,888. Patented May 20, 18.84.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. E. FLAGG.

ROLLER SKATE. l No.- 288,888. Patented May 20, 1884.

Farnsir Ormes.

` CHARLES E. FLAGG, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ROLLER-SKATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,838, dated May 20, 1884.

Application filed March 15,1884. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, Cr-rARLns E. FLAGG, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .in Roller- Skates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to rollerskates; and it consists of the construction and combinations of the devices and parts by means of which the rollers are connected with the foot-rests, as hereinafter fully set forth and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan of the under side of one of the skates with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line x x of Figs. l and 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line y y of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a plan of one of the axle-frames detached. Fig. 6 is an under side view of bedplate detached. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of one of the axle-boxes and axles on line e z of Fig. 5.

A designates a foot-rest made of any suitable material, preferably of steel, and is provided with a longitudinal strengthening-rib, a, which may be stamped on or riveted to the bottom of the foot-rest, or the foot-rest and the rib may be cast of malleable iron or other suitable material.

B are the rollers.

C designates central axlefboxes, which are formed of the same casting with the cushionboxes b, the oil-boxes c, roller-frames D, the two ball-bearings d d, the segmental bearing f, the standard g, provided with the lugs f f f2, and the head 7L.

` E designates the bed-plates, provided with the requisite holes to receive the rivets or bolts with which theplates are fastened to the footrests. These bed-plates have cast'on them the projections 7c, having the inclined edges 7d, the projection a', and threaded sockets b, having the shoulders b2, forming stop-bearings for the lugs l)3 on the cushion-boxes b. The pendants F of the bed-plates have formed on them the two inverted cups or concave sockets c c andu the segmental concave recess ci, to receive the balls d d and bearing f, above described, on thelower portion ofthe couplings. The rolleraxles are made in two separate parts, G G, inserted through holes in the ends dof the arms of the frame l) and into the axle-boxes G. The outer ends of these axles are provided with heads cl2, having bearing-shoulders,and the inner portions of the axles are provided with slots or holes dito receive the ends ofthe spring wires (1*, for keying the aXlesin their boxes.

H designates the elastic cushions, secured in the cushion-boxes by means of the thumb* screws d5, inserted through the cushions and through openings in the cushionvboXes into the threaded sockets b.

The oil-boXes c consist of two chambers, which are connected with the axle-bearings by means of the tubes s s, formed in or drilled through the bottom of the oil-boxes, into the interior of the axle-boxes, and extended hori zontally along the interior of the axle-boxes, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 7 of the drawings. These oil-boXes are adapted and designed to receive packing, preferably raw cotton, to prevent the oil from flowing too freely to the axlebearings.

The frame-arms may be dispensed with, and the separate sections of the axles may be tapped into the axle-boxes.

It is evident that ordinary Vslotted -head screws, h2, may be used instead of the thumbscrews d5,- -but I prefer the latter, for the reason that no screw-driver is required to adjust the tension of the screws upon the cushions.

My improved double socket and ball bea-rings aflord steady, iirm, horizontal support to the foot-rest when the pressure of the foot upon the rest is vertical and the movements are in direct lines,while at the same time they allow all requisite oscillating movements in turning or running on curved lines. Where the bearings are upon elastic cushions,there is little or no horizontal or side support,which allows too much strain upon the ankles, and in such skates very severe tension is required upon the elastic cushions, while with my improvement the bearing is not on the cushion, but on the ballbearings and their sockets, and comparatively light tension is required upon the cushion,suf cient only to hold the bearings together.

It will be seen that the sockets or cups c' c IOO are inverted, forming the upper portion of the l d d, c, and f, of the cushion-boxes b, cushions 3o bearings, and they are thus protected from liability of dirt lodging in them. In turning or running on curved lines the tilting of the footrests to one side causes the lugs ff on the standard g to slide along the inclined edges 7c of the projection lc, which produces the requisite backward and forward oscillatory movements of the roller-axles. The upper surface of the standard g and a portion of the head h have bearing upon the under side of the bed-plate. The edge of the lug f2 has bearing in a concave recess, f 3, on the proj ection a,which aids in holding the standard and other bearings in place.

The roller-axles being made in the two separate parts and keyed separately in the axleboxes, as set forth, each part may be removed for any required purpose without unkeying the other part.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The roller-skate bearings, consisting of the inverted cups or concave sockets c c and the segmental concave recess c2, in combination with the balls d d, and the segmental conveX bearngsubstantially as and for the purposes described.

2. Thecombination, with the bearings c c',

H, and a set-screw adapted to hold the parts together, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. The axles in two separate parts,G G, provided with holes or slots d3, in combination 3 5 with the arms d d', the spring-keys d, and the axle-boxes C, provided with ,holes to receive the ends of the keys, substantially as and for the purposes described.l

4. rlhe roller-skate axle-boxes C, provided 4o with the oil-boxes c c, adapted to receive packing to retain the oil, and connected with the axle-bearings by means of the tubes s.s,formed in and along the axle-boxes, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination of the roller-skate bearings c c d d c2 f,the cushion-boxes b,and cushions H, the standards g, heads h, lugs fff2, the projections k, having the inclined surfaces k, and the projections a', having the concave 5o recesses f3, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. FLAGG.

Witnesses:

H. A. DANIELs, FRANK M. GREEN. 

